Single Cell Thunderstorm Doppler Radar Example
Here is a good 3D Doppler radar example of a single cell thunderstorm (also known as an “air mass” or “garden variety” storm type). The current convective environment out in Arizona (7/14/2023) is not the best for organized and widespread thunderstorms activity, as the 3D radar animation shows. Storms are relying on local lift from strong mountain thermals to get deeper cumulus cloud development started.
This particular storm’s life cycle from genesis to collapse was around an hour and could only manage a peak altitude around 31,000 feet. For comparison, severe thunderstorms can often touch the summertime tropopause between 50 and 60 thousand feet! The restricted vertical storm height in this case is due to a midlevel capping inversion from regional high pressure subsidence, which acts to halt or limit further vertical extent of any moist updrafts that do form underneath the large-scale anticyclone spinning overhead. Weak upper-level steering winds are also noted on local weather balloon data. A weak wind shear environment tends to keep storm depth stacked upright meaning once their downdraft begins and rain falls the rush of cooler outflow air cuts off any moist/warm updrafts that originally got the storm started, hence shorter storm life cycles.
Perhaps not the most exciting storm to capture on radar, but still very cool to discuss!
GR2Analysts used for radar visualization.
This particular storm’s life cycle from genesis to collapse was around an hour and could only manage a peak altitude around 31,000 feet. For comparison, severe thunderstorms can often touch the summertime tropopause between 50 and 60 thousand feet! The restricted vertical storm height in this case is due to a midlevel capping inversion from regional high pressure subsidence, which acts to halt or limit further vertical extent of any moist updrafts that do form underneath the large-scale anticyclone spinning overhead. Weak upper-level steering winds are also noted on local weather balloon data. A weak wind shear environment tends to keep storm depth stacked upright meaning once their downdraft begins and rain falls the rush of cooler outflow air cuts off any moist/warm updrafts that originally got the storm started, hence shorter storm life cycles.
Perhaps not the most exciting storm to capture on radar, but still very cool to discuss!
GR2Analysts used for radar visualization.
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